Jennie: IN THIS EPISODE OF ECO SENSE FOR LIVING... >> A LOT OF THAT SHARK MAKES IT INTO FISH AND CHIPS INDUSTRY.

SO, THERE WAS RECENTLY A STUDY IN THE UK, AND THEY BOUGHT FISH AND CHIPS FROM ALL AROUND GREAT BRITAIN.

SUPPOSED TO BE COD, IT WAS ALMOST ENTIRELY SHARK.

SO, THAT SHARK ENDS UP IN LOTS OF WEIRD PLACES.

>> IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT FARMING THAN WHAT YOU TRADITIONALLY WOULD THINK BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE YOUR CROP.

YOU CAN'T GO OUT THERE AND JUST BE LIKE, "OH, WE'RE GOOD."

>> IN ORDER TO VISIT WILDERNESS, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO FAR AWAY.

WE HAVE WILDERNESS IN OUR OWN BACKYARDS.

WE HAVE WILDERNESS RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

♪ ♪ Jennie: A NEW MARINE RESERVE HAS CREATED A SAFE PATH FOR MARINE ANIMALS.

IT COULD BECOME A MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD.

♪ ♪ [SEA LION GRUNTS] ♪ ♪ >> NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BEFORE.

IT'S REALLY HISTORIC TO THINK OF COUNTRIES WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE PROTECTED AREAS THAT CONSERVE EMBLEMATIC SPECIES AND CREATE HEALTHY OCEANS FOR US.

♪ ♪ >> HUMAN BEINGS, GOING BACK CENTURIES, HAD BEEN REMOVING WILDLIFE FROM THE SEA, AND THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF THAT IS TO REDUCE FISH POPULATIONS BY ABOUT 90 TO 95%.

THERE ARE CERTAINLY OTHER CAUSES, THERE'S SOME POLLUTION, OCEAN PLASTICS ARE BECOMING A CONCERN.

ALTHOUGH, WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE HOW THEY IMPACT FISH AND WILDLIFE POPULATIONS.

BUT THE MAIN DRIVER HAS BEEN FISHING, HISTORICALLY.

SO, IN ORDER TO REVERSE THOSE TRENDS, WE NEED TO SET ASIDE PLACES WHERE WE DO MUCH LESS FISHING OR NO FISHING AT ALL.

THE MARINE PROTECTED AREAS ARE ESSENTIALLY NATIONAL PARKS IN THE SEAS.

SO, THEY'RE PLACES THAT WE'VE SET ASIDE WHERE WE RESTRICT HUMAN ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY, EXTRACTIVE ACTIVITIES.

>> THE MOST CONSERVATION-ORIENTED APPROACH IS A NO-TAKE ZONE.

SO, THAT BASICALLY, PROHIBITS ANY FISHING ACTIVITY WHATSOEVER.

BUT YOU CAN HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THE OLD GALAPAGOS MARINE RESERVE WHICH IS A PROTECTED AREA.

THERE IS ARTISANAL FISHING, BUT THERE'S NO COMMERCIAL FISHING.

>> MOST OF THE BIG VERTEBRATE WILDLIFE THAT INHABIT THE GALAPAGOS AND MARINE RESERVE, ARE HIGHLY MIGRATORY.

SO, THE ENTIRE EASTERN PACIFIC IS THEIR BACKYARD.

A LOT OF THE SHARKS WILL SWIM UP TO THE COCOS ISLANDS OFF COSTA RICA.

SOME OF THEM EVEN GO UP TO BAJA, CALIFORNIA.

THE ORCAS, AND THE HUMPBACK WHALES ARE HIGHLY MIGRATORY.

AND SO, JUST PROTECTING THEM IN THE GALAPAGOS ISN'T EFFECTIVE ENOUGH.

SO, BY EXPANDING THE RESERVE WE CAN AT LEAST GIVE THEM A BIGGER AREA WHERE THEY'RE NOT BEING IMPACTED BY FISHING.

>> THE EXPANSION IS, TECHNICALLY, IT'S A NEW MARINE RESERVE.

IT'S CALLED, "HERMANDAD."

THEY ARE CONTIGUOUS, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE.

SO, IT'S NOT JUST SOME ISOLATED PATCH OF OCEAN FLOATING AROUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACIFIC, BUT IT IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE OLD MARINE RESERVE, AND IT'S REALLY DRIVEN BY SCIENCE.

SO, THERE'S BEEN A LARGE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH DONE ON SOME OF THESE CHARISMATIC SPECIES, SUCH AS HAMMERHEAD SHARKS.

LOOKING AT THEIR MIGRATORY PATTERNS, AND IT'S BECOME VERY CLEAR THAT THESE SPECIES MOVE BETWEEN DIFFERENT AREAS THROUGHOUT THE EASTERN TROPICAL PACIFIC AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF YEAR.

THERE ARE KEY HIGHWAYS THAT THESE SPECIES TRAVEL ALONG.

AND SO, THE IDEA BEHIND THIS NEW MARINE RESERVE, IS REALLY TO TRY AND PROTECT THAT MARINE HIGHWAY.

>> THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CO-OPERATION AMONGST THESE NATIONS TO PROTECT THESE AREAS, SO THAT THESE ANIMALS CAN MOVE, MIGRATE BETWEEN THESE PLACES WITHOUT BEING HARVESTED.

>> WE KNOW FROM A LOT OF RESEARCH AROUND MARINE PROTECTED AREAS ALL OVER THE WORLD, THAT WHEN YOU CREATE THESE PROTECTED AREAS, THEY ACTUALLY CREATE A SAFE GROUND FOR SPECIES TO REPRODUCE.

AND YOU AT LEAST HAVE THIS SOURCE THAT KEEPS PRODUCING, IF YOU WILL, NEW INDIVIDUALS.

AND SO, YOU ACTUALLY ARE CREATING A BALANCE IN THE ECOSYSTEM AS A WHOLE.

[WATER SPLASHES] >> THERE IS AN ILLEGAL FISHING PROBLEM IN THE GALAPAGOS.

SO, I'VE BEEN PART OF SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENTS OF ILLEGAL FISHING BOATS THAT ARE CAUGHT BY THE NAVY.

THEY BRING THEM INTO THE DOCK, AND THEN THE SCIENTISTS GO ONTO THE BOATS TO COUNT THE FISHES THAT ARE CAUGHT, IDENTIFY THEM, TAKE TISSUE SAMPLES.

AND THEY'RE MOSTLY SHARKS.

A LOT OF THAT SHARK MAKES IT INTO FISH AND CHIPS INDUSTRIES.

SO, THERE WAS RECENTLY A STUDY IN THE UK, AND THEY BOUGHT FISH AND CHIPS FROM ALL AROUND GREAT BRITAIN, SUPPOSED TO BE COD, IT WAS ALMOST ENTIRELY SHARK.

SO, THAT SHARK ENDS UP IN LOTS OF WEIRD PLACES.

>> WE DON'T NEED STUDIES TO SHOW THAT THE LEVEL OF FISHING -- THE EXHAUSTIVE WAY THAT IT'S BEING FISHED TODAY IS NOT SUSTAINABLE, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE IN SUCH A PRECIPITOUS DECLINE WITH SO MANY SPECIES.

BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT THAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM GALAPAGOS AS AN EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD.

>> BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE PROTECTING NEARLY ENOUGH OF THE OCEAN.

SO, THE CURRENT NUMBERS, I BELIEVE ARE AROUND 10% OF THE OCEAN IS PROTECTED TO SOME DEGREE.

AND MOSTLY THERE'S NO ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE RULES AND REGULATIONS.

SO, I'D SAY ONLY 1 TO 2% OF THE OCEAN IS REALLY EFFECTIVELY PROTECTED FROM HARVESTING AND OTHER IMPACTS.

AND THE SCIENCE INDICATES WE'D LIKE TO SEE 30 TO 50% OF THE OCEANS PROTECTED.

♪ ♪ >> THE WHOLE WORLD IS INTERCONNECTED, AND TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE IS REALLY TRICKY.

THIS COULD EASILY BE THE MIAMI BEACH, YOU KNOW, WAIKIKI IN HAWAII.

IT'S NOT THAT IN GALAPAGOS BECAUSE, DESPITE THE INCREDIBLE ECONOMIC INCENTIVES AND PRESSURES TO DO THAT, THIS WAS DECLARED A NATIONAL PARK.

97% OF THE TERRESTRIAL LAND MASS OF GALAPAGOS IS PROTECTED AREA, IS NATIONAL PARK.

IT'S ALMOST THE OTHER EXTREME IF YOU WILL, BUT THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN EVEN FROM THE DYNAMICS THAT GO ON HERE.

♪ ♪ >> ONE OF THE REALLY HOPEFUL THINGS ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVATION IS, WE'VE LOST VERY FEW SPECIES DESPITE THIS SUPPRESSION OF BIOMASS.

THERE'S ONLY SEVEN OR EIGHT RECORDED EXTINCTIONS IN THE OCEAN CAUSED BY HUMANS, SO MOSTLY EVERYTHING'S STILL OUT THERE.

AND THERE'S PLENTY OF EVIDENCE THAT IF WE JUST STOP HARVESTING IT, OR IN SOME CASES, IMPACTING IT WITH POLLUTANTS OR OTHER THINGS, WILDLIFE CAN RECOVER.

♪ ♪ [SEAL BARKING] ♪ ♪ >> WHEN A SMALL TOWN IN FLORIDA LOST THEIR OYSTER INDUSTRY, THEY BUILT A THRIVING, NEW BUSINESS.

♪ ♪ >> I DID NOT PLAN ON EVER COMING BACK HERE, TO BE HONEST.

I HAD MY OWN DREAMS, BUT THEN AFTER BEING AWAY FOR A WHILE, I REALIZED THERE'S NOTHING I WANT MORE THAN TO BE WITH MY FAMILY.

♪ ♪ MY FATHER'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR 30 YEARS, AND NATURALLY, US SIBLINGS FOLLOWED ALONG TOO, AND WE'RE ALL HERE WORKING TOGETHER.

♪ ♪ WHAT I LIKE THE MOST ABOUT THE FAMILY BUSINESS AND CLAMMING IS THAT, YOU GET TO SEE THE HARD WORK YOU PUT IN.

THE MOST CHALLENGING, OF COURSE, IS THAT HARD WORK THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT IN.

[LAUGHTER] ♪ ♪ >> TO GET TO CEDAR KEY, AND ALONG THIS BIG BEND COASTLINE, YOU LITERALLY HAVE TO DRIVE DOWN MILES OF ISOLATED ROADS.

YOU WONDER IF YOU'RE EVER GONNA GET ANYWHERE, IT'S SO DESOLATE.

AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU HIT THE NUMBER FOUR CHANNEL BRIDGE AND THE VISTA OPENS TO SALT MARSHES, TO MANGROVE FRINGED ISLANDS, AND THE GULF OF MEXICO.

AND NO BARRIER ISLANDS, NO BEACHES, VERY RUSTIC.

FOLKS, COME HERE TO ENJOY THAT, THE BIRD WATCHING, THE KAYAKING, THE FISHING, THE CLAMMING, BUT THERE'S NO SUNBATHING HERE.

[SERENE NOISE] >> CEDAR KEY, IS THE LARGEST CLAM PRODUCER IN THE US.

WE SEND OUT OVER 100 MILLION CLAMS A YEAR.

THERE'S MORE LICENSED SEAFOOD WHOLESALERS PER SQUARE MILE IN CEDAR KEY THAN ANYWHERE IN FLORIDA.

BUT MOST OF THE CLAM SHOPS ARE JUST LITTLE, SMALL MONUMENT POP SHOPS.

>> THE CEDAR KEY, HAS ALWAYS HAD A SMALL OYSTER FISHERY.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE FOR, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST 50 TO 60 FISHING FAMILIES HERE.

THE VERY PRODUCTIVE SUWANNEE SOUND, JUST LOCATED A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF OUR COAST HERE, WAS A DOMINANT PRODUCTION AREA FOR OYSTERS.

IN 1991, THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION LOOKED AT THE WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS THAT WHERE MOST OF THE OYSTER FISHERY LANDINGS OCCURRED, AND SAID, "YOU'RE NOT MEETING NATIONAL STANDARDS."

AND CLOSED THE HARVEST AREA DOWN BASICALLY, OVERNIGHT.

FORCING THOSE FISHING FAMILIES OUT OF WORK, JUST LIKE THAT.

SEPTIC TANKS, ESPECIALLY LOCATED IN OUR COASTAL ENVIRONMENT, WHERE THE SOIL SEDIMENTS MAY ALLOW FOR LEAKAGE, IS A PROBLEM.

IT'S A BIG POLLUTION SOURCE.

AND THAT IS INDEED WHAT HAPPENED IN 1991 WITH THE CLOSURE OF THE OYSTER HARVESTING GROUNDS.

BY THE YEAR 2001, ALL REMAINING 200 SEPTIC TANKS WERE REMOVED FROM THIS ISLAND COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD THE RIGHT WATER QUALITY FOR OUR NEW INDUSTRY.

WATER QUALITY IS KEY TO CLAM FARMING.

Jennie: CEDAR KEY RESIDENTS TOOK UP AQUACULTURE OF OYSTERS AND CLAMS, BUT IT WAS CLAMS THAT REALLY TOOK OFF.

>> COMMUNITY LEADERS HERE, ADVOCATED FOR THESE FEDERAL FUNDS TO COME IN, AND RE-TRAIN THEIR FOLKS IN ANOTHER JOB OCCUPATION, AND THAT WOULD BE SHELLFISH FARMING.

THESE FEDERAL FUNDS, ARE TYPICALLY USED WHEN A FACTORY SHUTS DOWN, AND DISLOCATED WORKERS ARE THEN TRAINED IN A NEW SKILL SET.

[BOAT ENGINE WHIRRING] I CAME TO CEDAR KEY FOR THE CLAMMING, BACK WHEN IT VERY FIRST STARTED.

IT LOOKED LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ME, AND I THOUGHT, "THERE MIGHT BE A FUTURE IN IT."

AND TURNS OUT, I WAS CORRECT.

THE EARLY PEOPLE, LIKE MYSELF, WE TWEAKED OUT THE INDUSTRY.

WE CAME UP WITH A LOT BETTER WAYS TO DO IT ALL THAN HOW WE LEARNED, BUT THAT'S THE PROGRESSION OF ANY NEW INDUSTRY.

THERE'S A LOT OF PLANNING INVOLVED, AND A LOT OF FORESIGHT, AND YOU JUST GOTTA BE STRONG AND LIKE BEING IN THE WATER.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T BE AFRAID OF SHARKS AND STINGRAYS.

YOU JUST GOTTA GET OUT THERE AND DO IT.

[WATER SLOSHING] >> WE GO OUT THERE AND WE HARVEST THE CROPS.

WE PULL THE SEED, WE RE-PLANT THE SEED, WE DO EVERYTHING THAT REQUIRES THE BOAT TO GO OUT.

[CLAMS RATTLING] WE ALSO DO A CLEANING UP OF THE PRODUCT THROUGH THE TUMBLERS BEFORE IT GOES INTO OUR PROCESSING ROOM TO BE BAGGED UP AND BOXED UP TO GO THROUGH.

[CLAMS RATTLING] IT'S STILL FUN TO ME.

[CLAMS RATTLING] [WATER SLOSHING] WE'VE GOT A GREAT GROUP OF GUYS THAT WORK WITH ME OUT HERE.

AND BEING WITH THE FAMILY, IT JUST MAKES IT A LOT BETTER.

IT DOESN'T MAKE IT A WORKPLACE, IT MAKES IT LIKE A FAMILY HOME HERE.

[WATER SLOSHING] >> BEING A FAMILY BUSINESS, YOU HAVE TO FILL IN IN ANY SPOT POSSIBLE.

SOMETIMES, OUR WATER CREW MANAGER, MY BROTHER, TIM, HE MIGHT HAVE TO STEP UP AND WORK IN THE PROCESSING ROOM, OR I MIGHT HAVE TO STEP UP AND GO OUT ON THE BOAT, IF SOMEBODY'S SICK OR SOMETHING.

[CLAMS RATTLING] WE MIGHT HAVE TITLES, BUT WE'RE ALL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS WELL.

IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT FARMING THAN WHAT YOU TRADITIONALLY WOULD THINK BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE YOUR CROP.

YOU CAN'T GO OUT THERE AND JUST BE LIKE, "OH, WE'RE GOOD."

>> THE TRADITIONAL FARMING.

SO, WHEN YOU THINK OF LIKE, YOUR CORN FARMERS, OR A PEANUT FARMER, OR STRAWBERRY FARMERS, THEY ALL KIND OF PLANT IN ROWS OUT THERE.

WE DO THE SAME THING.

WHEN WE HAVE OUR ACRES, WE'RE BASICALLY ROLLING THE BAGS OUT IN ROWS ALONG THE BOTTOM, ON TWO-ACRE PARCELS AND WE ARE PLANTING THEM BASICALLY, THE SAME WAY.

SO, YOU HAVE A LITTLE WALKING SPACE IN BETWEEN YOUR CLAMS, OR LEAVING LITTLE ROWS.

IT'S ALSO DIFFERENT, OF COURSE, BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT ELEMENTS.

>> IF IT'S RAINING OUTSIDE, THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.

BUT IF THE WATERS ARE SO ROUGH TO WHERE YOU CAN'T EVEN STAND AND GET IN THE WATER, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME.

SAME WITH STORMS, RED TIDE, ANY NATURAL KIND OF DISASTERS.

WE'LL BE CLOSED ON THE WATERS FOR THAT.

>> DURING WINTERTIME, TOWARDS JANUARY, FEBRUARY, WE GET TO 30 DEGREES.

VERY COLD.

THE BOATS ARE ICED OVER AND WE'RE STILL HAVING TO GO OUT THERE AND JUMP IN THE WATER TO CONTINUE PLANTING TO KEEP OUR CYCLE GOING.

WE KIND OF FIGHT WITH MOTHER NATURE.

[WAVES CRASHING] >> STORM SURGES, ARE THE BIGGEST RISK TO THIS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANES.

AND CERTAINLY, IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST RISKS TO OPEN WATER FARMING.

WE ARE SEEING CLIMATE CHANGES ALREADY WITH OUR ENVIRONMENT AND ECOSYSTEMS.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR CLAMS?

WE ALREADY DO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS IN THE SUMMER WITH HIGH WATER TEMPERATURES, AND THOSE CLAMS THAT ARE JUST REACHING MARKET SIZE.

TO ADDRESS THAT, WE ARE LOOKING WITH OTHER UNIVERSITIES ON SOME GENETIC SELECTION PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THE THERMAL TOLERANCE OF OUR CLAMS.

THIS CITY EMBRACES RESILIENCY, AND IS EVEN LOOKING NOW AT WHAT SOME ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLANS WILL BE AND TO ENSURE THAT WE STILL HAVE A CLAM FARMING INDUSTRY HERE.

>> CLAMS, LIKE OYSTERS OR MUSSELS, THEY'RE FILTER FEEDERS, THAT'S HOW THEY FEED ON NATURAL OCCURRING PHYTOPLANKTON.

THUS, THEY'RE ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY REGULATED FOOD PROTEINS IN THE UNITED STATES.

ALSO, A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO EAT THEIR CLAMS OR OYSTERS RAW, PARTIALLY COOKED.

WE'RE ALLOWED TO HARVEST ALMOST YEAR-ROUND, OUR WATERS ARE THAT CLEAN.

[WATER SLOSHING] OUR CLAMS ARE SHIPPED TO THE NORTHEAST, TO THEIR TRADITIONAL CLAM MARKETS, AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED NEW MARKETS, SUCH AS THE BUFFETS AND CASINOS.

IN FACT, YOU LOOK AT THE MENUS AND IT SAYS, "CEDAR KEY CLAMS."

[PLATES RATTLING] >> IT'S A GREAT PRODUCT, AND JUST NOT OVERCOOKING 'EM IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE, FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

AS SOON AS THEY OPEN, YOU HAVE TO TAKE THEM OUT.

AND THERE'S SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT EAT THEM RAW ON THE HALF SHELL.

WE DO ONE WITH SMOKED ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE AND TOMATOES AND BROTH, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD.

I DID A COUPLE OF "YES, CHEF" DEMONSTRATIONS IN DISNEY FOR EPCOT WITH CLAMS, THAT WAS -- WENT OVER VERY WELL.

PEOPLE WERE LIKE, "OH, THIS IS SO COOL.

WE'RE GONNA COME TO CEDAR KEY JUST TO TRY 'EM."

>> I TAKE PEOPLE ON THE CLAM TOUR.

IT'S THE ONLY CLAM TOUR IN FLORIDA.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED THAT RAW CLAMS ARE SO GOOD.

AND WE'LL EAT SOME RAW CLAMS, AND SOME RAW SEAWEED, AND MAKE A DAY OF IT.

>> WE JUST HAD THE PIRATES INVASION FESTIVAL JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND.

WHAT IS THEIR LOGO?

A CLAM ON TOP OF CROSSED SABRES.

ON CHRISTMAS, SANTA CLAM COMES IN ON AN AIRBOAT.

THE SEA CRITTER DECORATIONS AND LIGHTS AROUND TOWN, WHAT?

THEY HAVE TO INCLUDE CLAMS.

WE USED TO DO A CLAMERICA CELEBRATION ON 4TH OF JULY, GOT SO BIG WE HAD TO QUIT.

EVERYBODY IS PROUD OF THIS NEW INDUSTRY.

♪ ♪ >> MY BROTHERS AND I, ALL SHARE VERY SIMILAR GOALS.

WE WANT THIS TO BE PASSED DOWN TO OUR KIDS.

WE WANNA SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS.

WE WANT TO KEEP GROWING EVERY SINGLE DAY.

♪ ♪ Jennie: COMPARED TO OTHER COASTLINES AROUND THE COUNTRY, GEORGIA'S COASTLINE IS UNIQUELY PRESERVED, THANKS TO VIGILANT PROTECTION.

♪ ♪ >> THERE IS NO COAST LIKE GEORGIA'S COAST IN THE UNITED STATES.

GEORGIA'S COAST IS WILD.

GEORGIA'S COAST IS HOME TO A MYRIAD OF SPECIES OF ENDANGERED AND THREATENED WILDLIFE THAT AREN'T ABLE TO EXIST IN OTHER PLACES.

OUR COAST IS UNPARALLELED, IT'S UNMATCHED.

AND IT'S ONLY 100 MILES LONG.

♪ ♪ >> IT'S A LEGACY FROM THE CONSERVATION OF THE STATE THAT TOOK PLACE, PARTICULARLY DURING THE GREAT ENVIRONMENTAL AWAKENING BETWEEN 1968 AND 1980.

IT'S WHEN AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL WE GOT THE CLEAN WATER ACT, CLEAN AIR ACT, BUT ALSO IN GEORGIA, WE HAD OUR COASTAL MARSH PROTECTION ACT.

GEORGIA WAS EARLY IN THE ADAPTION OF MARSH PROTECTION.

OURS IS A MARSH COAST.

>> WE HAVE 14 BARRIER ISLANDS, ONLY FOUR ARE DEVELOPED.

THE REST ARE PROTECTED IN SOME FORM OR FASHION.

WE ALSO HAVE 33% OF THE REMAINING SALT MARSH IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES.

WHICH IS A TESTAMENT TO THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION AND THE LEVEL OF PRIORITY THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE HAVE PUT INTO THIS PLACE.

>> I FEEL LIKE, THE COAST AND THE COASTAL RESIDENTS ARE THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE FOR CLIMATE AND SEA LEVEL RISE CHANGES.

IT'S GOING TO AFFECT US FIRST, THEN IT'S GOING TO AFFECT US MOST.

>> WE'RE HERE AT HIGHWAY 80 ON TYBEE ISLAND, AND THIS IS THE ONLY ROAD ONTO OR OFF THE ISLAND.

AND THIS ROAD USED TO FLOOD ROUTINELY DURING MAJOR HIGH TIDE EVENTS, THINGS LIKE KING TIDE OR STORM SURGE.

AND THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT, THERE WAS NO WAY FOR PEOPLE TO GET ON OR OFF THE ISLAND DURING EMERGENCY EVENTS, AND IT ALSO REALLY DISRUPTED DAILY LIFE.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET KIDS TO SCHOOL.

COMMUTING ONTO OR OFF THE ISLAND BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY.

SO, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS, THE CITY OF TYBEE ISLAND WORKED WITH THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO ELEVATE THIS ROAD ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT INCHES.

SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECTIONS CURRENTLY PREDICT THAT BY 2050 WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER FOOT OF SEA LEVEL RISE.

SO, EIGHT INCHES OF ELEVATION'S GONNA BUY A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT NOT A LOT OF TIME.

[WATER SLOSHING] >> DYNAMIC DUNES ARE PART OF THE SAND SHARING SYSTEM.

YEAH, THAT'S ONE REASON THAT YOU HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL MAKING SURE PEOPLE DON'T DEVELOP IN THE DUNES.

TYBEE ISLAND'S DONE SOME GREAT WORK BUILDING NEW DUNES.

SOME ISLANDS ARE BUILDING UP.

SOME ISLANDS ARE LOSING, AND ARE SAND-STARVED.

JEKYLL ISLAND, TYBEE ISLAND ARE TWO OF THOSE.

BOTH OF THEM ARE INFLUENCED AND ARE SAND STARVED IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE PORT HAVING THEIR CHANNEL, WHICH INTERCEPTS THE SAND SHARING SYSTEM.

>> WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS THE SAVANNAH RIVER CHANNEL.

THE CHANNEL ACTUALLY EXTENDS SEVEN MILES OFF THE COAST.

AND THIS IS WHAT THE LARGE CONTAINER SHIPS USE TO GET INTO THE PORT OF THE SAVANNAH.

[SEA GULLS SQUAWKING] WE JUST COMPLETED A FOUR-MONTH STUDY OF THE SHIP TRAFFIC IN THE SAVANNAH CHANNEL WITH THE CORPS OF ARMY ENGINEERS.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, THERE ARE MORE BIGGER SHIPS GOING FASTER THROUGH THE CHANNEL, WHICH CREATES TWO ISSUES FOR TYBEE.

BEACH EROSION ON THE NORTH SIDE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

TOURISTS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SHIP WAKE SOMETIMES GET DISTURBED WHEN THOSE BIG SHIPS COME THROUGH.

SIMILAR TO A TSUNAMI, THE WATER WILL GET SUCKED OUT, AND WHEN IT COMES BACK IN, IT COULD BE 2 OR 3 FEET DEEP AND IT'S COMING AT QUITE A PACE, AND IT'S GONNA GO ALL THE WAY PAST THE BEACH UP INTO THE DUNES.

YOU GET KNOCKED OVER.

IT'S DISTURBING.

WITHOUT THE CHANNEL, TYBEE WOULD BE GETTING SAND FROM THE HILTON HEAD AREA, OKAY.

BUT BECAUSE THE CHANNEL'S THERE, THAT SAND DOESN'T COME TO US.

ABOUT 75% OF OUR BEACH EROSION IS DUE TO THAT CHANNEL.

SO, HERE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BEACH IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF NATURAL SAND ACCRETION.

WHEN THAT CROSSWALK WAS BUILT, I THINK PROBABLY 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO, IT WAS JUST FLAT ON THE SAND.

AND NOW, YOU SEE HOW THE DUNES ARE GROWING ON EITHER SIDE AND CONTINUE TO GROW.

INTERESTINGLY, COASTAL BARRIER ISLANDS ON GEORGIA, WANT TO MOVE CLOCKWISE.

SO, THE NORTH END OF THIS ISLAND IS TRYING TO MOVE SEAWARD, AND THE SOUTH END IS ACTUALLY TRYING TO MOVE INLAND.

SO, YOU GET SOME NATURAL SAND ACCRETION, WHICH IS WHY THESE DUNES ARE AS TALL AS THEY ARE.

THIS IS MID-ISLAND.

THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR DUNES THAT WE BUILT DURING THE BEACH NOURISHMENT.

THIS WAS TOTALLY FLAT BEFORE WE BUILT THE DUNE.

DURING MATTHEW AND IRMA, WATERS JUST CAME RIGHT THROUGH HERE.

THIS IS JUST SAND.

THE TRICKY THING ABOUT BUILDING DUNES, IS UNTIL YOU GET THEM VEGETATED AND THE VEGETATION TAKES HOLD, YOU'RE AT RISK OF A STORM.

WE DID THESE IN EARLY 2020, BUILT AND VEGETATED THIS DUNE.

SO, IF WE'D HAVE HAD A STORM ANY OF THOSE YEARS, YEAH, IT WOULD'VE JUST WASHED IT AWAY.

BUT AT THIS POINT, THE VEGETATION LOOKS GREAT.

PRIMARILY, YOU HAVE SEA OATS, WHICH HAVE VERY LONG ROOTS, AND YOU HAVE THE VARIOUS SEA GRASSES AND THE MORNING GLORIES, THE BEACH MORNING GLORIES, THAT SPREAD OUT, VERY MUCH LIKE REBAR AND CONCRETE.

SO, THE ROOT SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE THIS AND HOLDS THAT DUNE IN PLACE WHEN THE SURGE HITS IT.

THEY'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE RIGHT NOW.

>> SO, THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW IMPORTANT THE SEA OATS AND THE DUNE GRASSES ARE TO THE DUNE SYSTEM.

SEE HERE YOU CAN SEE THIS DUNE WAS CUT IN HALF BY EROSION DURING THE LAST HURRICANE.

YOU CAN SEE THE SCARP HERE.

YOU CAN SEE HOW FAR DOWN THE ROOT SYSTEM GOES INTO THE DUNE.

OH, YOU CAN ALSO SEE A NEW LITTLE SPROUT THAT'S STARTING TO COME BACK UP AND TRY TO REGENERATE AFTER THIS LAST HURRICANE.

>> OUR COMMUNITIES ARE DEFINITELY INCONVENIENCED BY FLOODING AND SOMETIMES HARMED BY FLOODING.

AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE HAVING A HARD TIME COMING TO TERMS WITH.

HOW DO WE HELP PEOPLE?

HOW DO WE INVEST MONEY IN INFRASTRUCTURE TO MOVE WATER OUT OF PEOPLE'S HOMES AND INTO THE RIGHT PLACES THAT THEY -- THAT IT CAN GO?

BULKHEADS ARE NOT AN IDEAL SOLUTION FOR PROTECTING SHORELINES FROM EROSION.

WHEN YOU BUILD A BULKHEAD ON A PROPERTY, FOR EXAMPLE, EROSION INCREASES AT THE ONE END AND ALSO ON THE OTHER END OF THE BULKHEAD.

SO, WHEN YOU BUILD A BULKHEAD, YOU'RE REALLY PUSHING THE EROSION ONTO YOUR NEIGHBORS.

THERE ARE BETTER SOLUTIONS OUT THERE LIKE LIVING SHORELINES, WHICH IS WHERE YOU LINE THE SLOPE WITH OYSTER BAGS.

>> THESE CABINS ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE WATER.

AND HISTORICALLY, WHAT PEOPLE WOULD'VE PROBABLY, BUILT HERE WOULD BE A SEAWALL, OR SOME KIND OF CONCRETE STRUCTURE.

WHAT THE LIVING SHORELINE IS GOING TO ALLOW FOR, IS FOR MARSH TO MOVE UPLAND AS SEA LEVELS RISE, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THIS NATURAL SUBSTRATE.

WHEREAS A SEA WALL WOULDN'T ALLOW FOR THAT KIND OF MARSH MIGRATION.

>> I MOVED HERE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.

I DIDN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE GEORGIA COAST.

AND SO, THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN WE FOUNDED 100 MILES, WAS TO LISTEN AND LEARN.

WE WENT AS MANY PLACES AS WE COULD.

WE VISITED AS MANY OF THE ISLANDS THAT WOULD HAVE US.

I HAD JUST RETURNED THE YEAR BEFORE FROM SPENDING A SUMMER IN THE GALAPAGOS.

AND THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE EXPERIENCE OF TRAVELING TO ST. CATHERINE'S AND ALL THE OTHER ISLANDS BY BOAT HERE IN GEORGIA, AND THE GALAPAGOS, STRUCK ME THAT DAY.

IN ORDER TO VISIT WILDERNESS, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO FAR AWAY.

WE HAVE WILDERNESS IN OUR OWN BACKYARDS.

WE HAVE WILDERNESS RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I NEVER FORGET.

IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO CONVEY TO OUR CHILDREN, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES.

BECAUSE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT, WE HAVE TO DO IT HERE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪